This invention relates to allergy testing methods and apparatuses, and more specifically to improved methods and apparatuses for testing a patient for a plurality of allergies at substantially the same time.
Allergy testing generally involves giving a patient a plurality of "prick or scratch" tests. Each prick or scratch test (hereinafter referred to as "test") is applied in order to determine whether or not a patient is allergic to a particular substance, such as pollen, animal dander, dust, foods, etc. A conventional test involves placing a drop of a test substance on the patient's skin and then using a needle to scratch the substance through the skin into a superficial layer of the skin. If a reaction occurs, the patient is generally considered to be allergic to the particular substance. Alternatively, allergy testing involves giving a patient a plurality of "intradermal" tests. Intradermal tests involve placing a small amount of a test substance into the dermis or deep skin layers, either by injection or puncture.
At present, allergy testing is carried out on an individual basis. Each test substance is dropped, one drop at a time, on the patient's arm or back. Each drop is then individually pricked through the skin with a separate needle. Alternatively, each individual substance is injected or punctured into the intradermal or deep skin layer. Either process is a very time consuming process (for both the patient and the practitioner) and very often involves multiple office visits for the patient. This leads also to a substantial amount of patient discomfort, expense and inconvenience.
The apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,247 automates the above procedure and provides a means and method for testing a patient for a number of substances substantially at the same time. However, the apparatus of U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,247 is relatively bulky and complex.
The method and apparatus of Ser. No. 07/113,364, filed Oct. 21, 1987, of which the present inventor is a co-inventor, is improved with respect to complexity and cost, but still has the disadvantage that it is relatively bulky and requires individual packages of allergens.
An object of the present invention is to provide improved apparatuses and methods for testing patients for allergic reactions to a plurality of substances, all at substantially the same time. The invention will reduce the time required for testing, minimize patient discomfort, expense and inconvenience, and improve productivity.
A further object of the invention is to provide improved methods and apparatuses which will enable the plurality of allergy tests to be applied simultaneously without requiring a great deal of technical skill on the part of the operator.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide improved apparatuses which use pre-packaged allergens which are easily insertable in and removable from the apparatus, thereby facilitating loading the allergens, and improving the sterility of the apparatus.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an allergy testing system where the pricking or scratching or puncturing of the skin is always done to a given skin penetration depth which is predictable and which is replicable without requiring highly skilled operators.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a simplified device which can be more easily manufactured by molding at a relatively low cost, and which is either re-usable or disposable.
Still another object of the invention is to provide such an allergy testing system wherein allergy testing sections, each carrying a plurality of allergens for testing, can be interconnected together in a simplified manner, so as to increase the number and variety of simultaneous allergen tests applied to the patient.